Management is coping with complexity whilst leadership is coping with change according to Kotter (1990). I found that to be an extraordinary explanation; change management certainly underpins management processes and is taught both within the existing management frameworks and as a stand alone course. I prefer to define leadership as influence that is exercised by providing purpose, direction and motivation. Leadership is more concerned with mission, direction and inspiration.

Management involves designing and implementing plans, team-work and getting the job done. As such, management is measurement and leadership is inspiration developing personnel to achieve shared goals. I see plenty of mid-level managers trying to fulfill the classical management principles of planning, organising, leading and controlling where they do plan and they control.

Organising is usually undertaken at a senior management level although controlling definitely occurs at the middle management level with mid-level managers reporting to senior management. It was once thought that leadership could only be fulfilled by senior managers within the organisation but I argue leadership is commonly exercised at not only middle management, the most effective leadership actually occurs at worker level with smarter managers recognising this.